Assessment of Data Privacy Protection Framework in AI and BIM Enabled Architectural Practices in Nigeria
Abstract
The increasing usage of digital technologies in the construction industry result in the generation, transmission and storage of sensitive data, and this has triggered concerns over data privacy and protection in the industry, especially in developing situations where enforcement and consciousness of data protection regulations are weak. This paper evaluates data privacy and protection practices amongst construction professionals in Lagos, Nigeria to determine the existing practices, levels of awareness and compliance to data protection regulations. A quantitative research method was adopted for this study using structured questionnaires administered to a random sample of 103 construction professionals in Lagos. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, relative importance index (RII) and mean score ranking to determine the extent of data protection practices, challenges associated with data protection and the major risk exposure areas. The study also determined the level of awareness of Nigeria`s Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) and few international standards (General Data Protection Regulation: GDPR). The study revealed that although there is increasing usage of digital technologies such as cloud storage, BIM, mobile apps and collaborative platforms in their designs and delivery of projects, data protection practices are sub-optimal. Password protection, antivirus software and basic encryption were found to be the most practiced methods while more advanced protocols such as rolebased access control, regular data audits and employee training were poorly adopted. The study further revealed that only 38% of respondents were aware of NDPR, and even fewer had formal data privacy policies. The study concludes that there is a huge gap in data privacy practice in Lagos construction industry driven by the level of regulatory knowledge, inadequate organisation policy framework and weak regulatory enforcement. The paper recommends training of construction professionals, development of internal data protection protocols and stronger alignment with national and international regulations. The study findings provide a strong basis for incorporating data privacy into the digitalisation agenda of Nigeria`s construction industry to ensure secure, compliant and ethical use of digital technologies in the sector.
Keywords
Data Privacy, NDPR, Digital Construction, Construction Professionals, Cybersecurity, BIM, GDPR
Citations
IRE Journals:
Akintunde Glory Joseph , Popoola Micheal Olamilekan , Akande Ifeoluwa
"Assessment of Data Privacy Protection Framework in AI and BIM Enabled Architectural Practices in Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 1 2025 Page 1787-1799
IEEE:
Akintunde Glory Joseph , Popoola Micheal Olamilekan , Akande Ifeoluwa
"Assessment of Data Privacy Protection Framework in AI and BIM Enabled Architectural Practices in Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(1)
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IRE Journals is an open access online journals established with an aim to publish high quality of research work in various diciplines. We have more than 6 years in publications. Over 2500+ papers already published.
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